Appropriately enough, I'm eating avocado on toast for breakfast as I write this, to keep me in an alphabetical frame of mind.
Let's kick this off with 2 great questions from Torwen:
1.I have noticed a lot of recipes calling for arugula. I have never seen it in the UK but it looks like wild rocket to me. Do you know the difference and whether I can substitute them for each other without missing out on something.
Arugula and rocket are actually different names for the same plant variety (why on earth do they do that?) so feel free to use them interchangeably as they are the same. Incidentally, I came across one gardening board where someone was quite puzzled by the fact that the had bought both rocket and arugula seeds from different sources and just had double of the same plant.
There are different varieties of arugula / rocket so the pepperiness of the plant may vary slightly.
2. I would like to cook/bake with ale (just luv it, can't stand the Continental beer) But the only thing that pops into my mind is steak-n-ale pie. Unfortunately I am a vegetarian, so this is out of question. Do you know some other English recipes using ale?
This was actually much tougher than I expected, largely because the rich flavor of ale goes so well with meat (sorry!).
You mentioned using ale in baking and I came across the following recipe for Midsummer Ale bread in my copy of The Wicca Cookbook: Recipes, Ritual, and Lore
Midsummer Ale Bread
(makes 3 loaves)
3 cups SR flour
2 tbs sugar
12 oz ale
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350F or 175C. Mix the flour and sugar then gradually blend in the ale. Transfer to 3 loaf tins and drizzle melted butter over the top. Bake for 50 minutes.
I was also determined to find a recipe for cooking vegetables with ale, and finally found one in the Vegetarian Times for Ale-Braised Cabbage with Leeks:
(serves 6)
3 Tbs olive oil
2 medium leeks, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red cabbage, cored and finely shredded
2 cups pale ale
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs chopped fresh dill
Heat oil over medium heat in 12-inch skillet. Add leeks and garlic, and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Saut'e 1 minute. Add cabbage, and cook 15 minutes, or until cabbage wilts and begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add ale, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until most of ale has evaporated. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice and dill. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
If anyone else has any vegetarian recipes using ale, feel free to share.
Also, for any Guinness fans, I have a recipe for Chocolate Guinness Cheesecake that I'll be sure to post once I've tried it.
And finally, Angel Delight.
If you live in England and have not yet tried this, y should. It's a powder dessert that you mix with milk to create a sort of mousse and it was a favorite when I was young. There used to be dozens of flavors and I think there are only a few now, but butterscotch, topped with Dream Topping was a personal favorite.
Tomorrow, we cover b: blancmange, beetroot, and more. So send those questions if you have any.
